The county plans to join other California counties in a new experimental state program that targets methamphetamine addiction by rewarding patients with gift cards for negative drug tests, up to $599 per year.

San Jose’s homelessness response team visited Houston earlier this year. They came away jealous of some advantages Houston has over California cities.

More than 170,000 people are homeless in California. Some Democrats want to make the state the nation’s first to declare housing a human right, but opponents worry it would be costly.

California cities of every size lack shelter beds for the state’s growing homeless population. A new bill would force local governments to do more, and punish cities that don’t plan housing for unhoused residents.

Sen. Dave Cortese of San Jose began pushing for the audit after touring a massive homeless encampment on vacant land near the San Jose Mineta International Airport. San Jose will be one of two cities targeted by the audit.